A £2m investment to improve a popular leisure centre has been announced.

The boost for Long Stratton Leisure Centre is part of South Norfolk Council’s (SNC) vision to create a “multi-sport hub” to provide for the current and future sporting needs of the surrounding area.

A new £440,000 3G pitch, which was funded through contributions from South Norfolk Council, Long Stratton High School, Long Stratton Football Club and the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, has already opened.

Working with the parish council, there are also plans for a new sports pavilion at Manor Road Playing Fields.

SNC said it recognises the importance of providing quality leisure facilities which will help residents not only become active but remain active in the future.

Sandra Dinneen, chief executive of the council, said. “Long Stratton Leisure Centre is an integral part of the local community and as such improvements to the centre will work alongside the plan for the whole community set out in the Long Stratton Area Action Plan.

“We know that Long Stratton is going to grow with more than 1,800 new houses being built and this investment will mean that the leisure centre is ready for the increased demand that this planned growth will bring.

“We have consulted our leisure members and the wider community to ensure these improvements are what our residents both want and need.”

SNC has recently invested £4m in its leisure centre in Wymondham.

The improvements included new showers, toilets and changing area added to the pool, as well as a new floor and layout for the hall.

There was also a new café and gym stations.

In the year since the centre re-opened, that investment has resulted in an 87pc increase in membership and 72,000 more visits.

Clayton Hudson, the council’s cabinet member for stronger communities and leisure, said: “We wanted Wymondham Leisure Centre to be a community hub and that is exactly what it is.

“Our membership has increased by an incredible 87pc and the new centre is a place where everyone feels welcome.”

To find out more about leisure facilities offered by SNC, visit www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/leisure